How to clean vomit out of a carseat?

My daughter got really sick last night, unfortunatly while we were out. On the drive home despite my best attempts to catch vomit in a grocery sack her car seat strap and buckles got coated. Inside the between the leg buckle too.





Any ideas on how to get the stench of vomit out? Or should I just buy a knew one? I used clorox wipes and got all the solids off, but it still smells.





My daughter will probably out grow this seat and move onto a booster next year so I thought about maybe just replacing it with a toddler seat that can convert to a booster.

How to clean vomit out of a carseat?
You need to check the carseat manual for appropriate ways to clean the cover and harness straps. You can NOT put the straps in the washing machine or use harsh cleaners. Most manufacturers say to spot clean with a MILD cleanser (think dish soap or hand soap.) - you should not submerge the straps in water.





If you clean them this way and they still smell, lay them out in the sun. It does wonders to get the smell out.





I always just throw the cover in the tub with cold water and gentle cleanser. I scrub, then rinse multiple times. The shell can be simply wiped out.





If you still want to replace your DDs seat - the Graco Nautilus is great. It harnesses to 65lbs, then converts to a booster!
Reply:Take the cover off and throw it in the washing machine. Should do this regularly anyways...come to think of it, I should probably wash mine...all four of them.
Reply:I'd just replace it, but if I had to clean it out I'd soak it down, maybe hose it off outside, and pour plenty of a strong cleaner over it like Mr. Clean or equivalent, rinse well, then let it dry in strong sunlight.
Reply:Don't replace it!! My daughter used threw up in her car seat plenty of times with Penicillin in the throw up, mind you, and I still got the smell out... My son spits up in his car seat at least once a week and I can still get it clean and it doesn't smell. can you take the car seat cover off? Every car seat should have a removable car seat cover... put it in the washing machine by itself and wash it. As for the car seat shell, just take soap and water and wash that off... If it's on your actual car seat then try sponging it with a damp rag and a little soap. Leave the car windows open to air out the smell, as well.
Reply:I'd replace it with the type of seat you mentioned. (converter) Vomit is extremely difficult to get out of fabric. Getting it out of the inside of a buckle is next to impossible also. No matter how clean you think you got it, the odor will always be in the seat.
Reply:Take them all out. Throw the straps in to the washing machine, and the buckles into the sink and let them soak in a bleach/water solution. You're probably going to want to throw the seat cover in also (they're washable).





If your buckles won't come off the straps, just throw it all in the washer in a garment bag.





Surface washing just won't do the trick. Vomit's a very hard smell to get rid of.
Reply:Buy a Bissel spotbot. It has an attachment for upholstery.
Reply:my daughter has done this too. i completely took the seat apart (i think you can on most of them) and threw it in the washer and bleached the plastic.
Reply:The cover should be removable, probably the straps too. Toss them in the machine and add 1/2 cup of vinegar to the RINSE cycle (use the fabric softener dispenser) this will get out all of the smell.





Also use a mild vinegar soap solution on the plastic of the seat and let it dry in the sun.
Reply:My daughter did this while with her dad in July and no one told me until the next morning when I found it or should I say smelled it as I got in the car. I went straight to the car wash with all the windows down and still gagging, I am betting I was a comical sight. I just took the seat out and hosed it down. It worked great, I used the soap then rinse, I didn't bother with the wax LOL. I took it home and just set it out in the sun to dry. It is less complicated then pulling it apart and worth a try if you are willing to buy another one anyway.





Good Luck



flower